Hot water boilers



R. D. DEwl-uRsT ETAL 3,062,195

Nov. 6, 1962 HOT WATER BOILERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1959 ,QTTORNEYS HOT WATER BOILERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. D. DEWHIRST ETAL Nov. 6, 1962 Filed Dec. 16. 1959 Nov. 6, 1962 R. D. DEwHlRsT ETAL 3,062,195

HOT WATER BOILERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 u n 9 Flled Dec 16 1 59% INVENTOR;

3,062,195 Patented Nov. 5, 1952 3,062,195 HT WATER BILERS Robert D. Dewhirst and .oseph E. McKenna, Saginaw, Mich., assignors to Wickes Boiler Company, Saginaw, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dee. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 859,923 7 Claims. (El. 122-406) This invention relates to forced circulation hot water boilers and the like and more particularly to a simplified design provided with headers having a plurality of compartments therein with interconnecting vertical tubes to provide positive circulation through the heating circuits which are proportioned and arranged for maximum eiciency.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a hot water boiler formed w-ith upper and lower header members, so connected as to take advantage of the natural circulation of the boiler, and continuously circulating the water from the point of inlet to the point of outlet with a minimum of resistance thus insuring uniform temperature for all circuits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hot water boiler having upper and lower communicating header members formed with compartments so arranged and connected that the water circuits are automatically balanced and the water is continuously mixed from the point of inlet to point of outlet.

A .further object is to design a boiler of simple, practical and economical construction, in which the furnace tubes are so arranged that water from one compartment in the lower header is discharged into the next rearward compartment in the upper header, continuously mixing the water -in the compartments; and providing a continuous flow in the headers, from one end to the other; thus insuring uniform temperature at the point of outlet.

Various features of novelty which characterize our invention are pointed out particularly in the claims annexed lto and forming a part of the specification, for a better understanding of the invention, the advantages and specific objects obtained by its use, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in v which we have illustrated and described the embodiments of our invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a longitudinal, sectional, elevational view through our new and improved boiler structure.

FiG. 2 is a transverse, sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse, sectional view through the upper header, etc., the arrow indicating the tlow of gases to the stack.

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan View, through the boiler, the arrows showing the direction of flow of the gases.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view on la reduced scale with housing, etc. omitted, showing a slightly modified design.

FIG. 6 is a transverse, sectional View, the arrows showing the direction of iiow of water.

FIG. 7 is also a schematic view similar to FIG. 5 showing still another -modiiication, and

FIG. 8 is a transverse, sectional lView similar to FIG. 6, the arrows indicating the direction of iiow of water.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. l to 5 inclusive of the drawings in which we have shown a casing H having a door 10 and front, rear, and side walls 11, 12 and 14 respectively, said walls being lined with a high temperature block B as usual. This casing is closed by suitable uptake wall 15, pitched as shown, and a header member 16 is mounted in upper end thereof and extends from the front to the rear end of the boiler as usual.

An inlet nozzle 17 opens into the upper face of the preferred header 16 at the front end thereof and is connected to a source of water supply (not shown), in the usual manner, and a similar outlet nozzle 18 is provided at the rear end of the header 16 for distribution of the hot water as desired, and windbox and burner openings 19 and 2i) respectively, are provided in the front wall of the boiler casing H.

The boiler is supported on columns 21 as usual, with longitudinally disposed structural members 22 mounted thereon, and elongated headers 23 and 24 are mounted on said members, these headers -being substantially the same as the upper header 16 as will be more fully hereinafter described.

The casing H can, of course, be of any desired design, and we shall not describe this in detail, as the invention is directed to the connected headers, the baies which form the compartments, and the circulation of the water through the boiler.

Each of the headers 23 and 24 is preferably cylindrical in cross section, and a plurality of spaced-apart baie members 25 are welded or otherwise secured in each header in longitudinally-spaced apart relation to form a series of compartments C, and a drain opening 26 is provided in the lower edge of each baffle in the lower header compartments for drainage purposes when necessary.

Baffie tile walls 27 are spaced inwardly from the side Walls 14 and extend from the lower headers 23 and 24 to the upper header 16, all convection tubes 28 are located between the Walls 14 and 27, they lead to and establish communication between the headers 16, 23 and 24; whereas, the furnace tubes 29 are the riser tubes, and these riser tubes also lead to and establish communication between the headers 16, 23 and 24; these tubes being formed with an offset 30 fore and aft, so that the Water from one compartment in the lower header is discharged into the next suceeding compartment in the upper header, thus providing a continuous flow through the various compartments, a small vent 31 being provided in the upper edge of each baiile to permit venting of non condensible gases and/or steam to the outlet connection.

This arrangement is assisted by natural circulation, it keeps low the resistance of the liquid circulating through the boiler, and the liquid is continuously mixed in each compartment throughout the length of the headers, thus insuring balanced circuit and uniform temperature at the Water outlet, making distributing orifices unnecessary.

Water enters the header 16 through inlet 17 into end compartment I; thence travels through convection tubes 28 into compartment X in lower headers; thence up through furnace tubes 29 into the next succeeding compartment E in the upper header; thence in a like manner through the various upper and lower compartments to the point of outlet 18.

While in the present instance we have shown an offset 38 in the upper end of the furnace tubes 29; it will, of course, be understood, that the same result can be accomplished by angling the furnace tubes from one compartment to the other within the furnace, so that water from one compartment on the lower header discharges into the next succeeding compartment in the upper header; or by offsetting the tubes in the convection pass between the upper and lower headers, or by -angling these tubes in the convection pass between the upper and lower headers.

The same result can be obtained by the use of one upper and one lower header; one upper and two lower headers; or two upper and two lower headers, all as shown in FIGS. 5 8 inclusive of the drawings.

The design shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, in which we have two lower headers 23 and 24, and two upper headers 32 and 33 is slightly better balanced in that it provides a continuous positive circuit; leading, for example, from the right lower header to the left upper header down to the left lower header; thence up to the upper right header, and thence down to the right lower header; and then repeat in the next rearward compartment, the flow in the convection yarea may be either parallel or counterow between the heating medium and the medium to be heated.

Prom the foregoing description, it will be obvious that we have perfected -a very simple, practical and ecient forced circulation hot water boiler.

What we claim is:

l. A forced circulation hot water boiler including; a front to rear extending housing; generally horizontally disposed, vertically spaced, elongated upper and lower header tubes therein; an inlet for supplying heat transmitting lluid near one end of one of said header tubes and an outlet for egressing tluid near the opposite end of one of said header tubes; baille members spaced apart in a lengthwise direction from front to rear in each header tube and forming a series of opposite end-to-end compartments in said upper and lower header tubes, with the bales in said header tubes spaced substantially the same distance apart to provide substantially equal length compartments in the upper and lower header tubes generally one under another; means for communicating said upper and lower header tubes so that Huid, once having left each compartment in a header tube in a path to a vertically spaced header tube, never returns to the same compartment but proceeds to a compartment rearwardly adjacent thereto; said means comprising convection tubes in which the water llows downwardly leading from compartments in an upper header tube to compartments in a lowe1 header tube; said means also comprising riser tubes in which the iluid ilows upwardly leading from compartments in a lower header tube to compartment in an upper header tube; side walls extending substantially from the upper header to the lower header tubes separating said convection tubes and riser tubes; and means for introducing hot gases to the front of said housing within said side walls; the convection tubes extending outside said side walls in vertical planes and the riser tubes each including portions extending angularly to a vertical plane.

2. The combination defined in claim l in which said side walls extend from the front end of said housing rearwardly but terminate short of the rear end of said housing to permit hot gases to llow around said side walls.

3. A hot uid boiler including; a housing; means for furnishing heat to the interior of said housing; generally horizontally disposed, vertically spaced, elongated upper 'and lower header tubes therein; an inlet for supplying fluid near one end of one of said header tubes and an outlet for egressing fluid near the opposite end of one of saidV header tubes; baille members spaced apart in a lengthwise direction from front to rear in each header tube and forming a series of opposite end-to-end compartments in said upper and lower header tubes; and means for communicating said upper and lower header tubes so that lluid, once having left each compartment in a header tube -in a path to a vertically spaced header tube, never returns 'to the same compartment but proceeds to a compartment rearwardly adjacent thereto; said means comprising downcomer tubes of lesser diameter than said header tubes in which the iluid flows downwardly leading from compartments in an upper header tube to compartments in a lower header tube; said means also comprising riser tubes of lesser diameter than said header tubes in which the lluid ilows upwardly leading from compartments in a lower header tube to compartments in an upper header; certain of the lesser diameter tubes including at least portions extending angularly to a vertical plane.

4. A forced circulation hot water boiler including; a housing; means for furnishing heat to the interior of said housing; generally horizontally disposed, vertically spaced, elongated upper and lower header tubes therein; van inlet for supplying uid near one end of one of said header tubes and an outlet for egressing fluid near the opposite end of one of said header tubes; baille members spaced apart in a lengthwise direction from front to rear in each header tube and forming a series of opposite end-to-end compartments in said upper and lower header tubes, with the baflles in said header tubes spaced substantially the same distance apart to provide substantially equal length compartments in the upper and lower header tubes generally one under another; and means for communicating said upper and lower header tubes so that iluid, once having left each compartment in a header tube in a path to a vertically spaced header tube, never returns to the same compartment but proceeds to a compartment rearwardly adjacent thereto; said means comprising groups of downcomer tubes in which the fluid flows downwardly leading from compartments in an upper header tube to compartments in a lower header tube; and groups of riser tubes in which the iluid ilows upwardly leading from compartments in a lower header tube to compartments in an upper header tube; the tubes of one of the groups including at least portions extending angularly to a Vertical plane.

5. A forced circulation hot water boiler including; a housing; means for furnishing heat to the interior of said housing; generally horizontally disposed, vertically spaced, elongated upper and lower header tubes therein; an inlet for supplying iluid near one end of an upper header tube and an outlet for egressing fluid near the opposite end of said upper header tube; baille members spaced apart in a lengthwise direction from front to rear in veach header tube and forming a series of opposite endto-end compartments in said upper and lower header tubes, with the battles in said header tubes spaced substantially the same distance apart to provide substantially equal length compartments in the upper and lower header tubes generally one under another; and means for communicating said upper and lower header tubes so that lluid, once having left each compartment in a header tube in a path to a vertically spaced header tube, never returns to the same compartment but proceeds to a compartment rearwardly adjacent thereto; said means comprising downcomer convection tubes of lesser diameter than said header tubes in which the iluid tlows downwardly leading from compartments in the upper header tube to compartments in the lower header; said means also comprising riser tubes of lesser diameter than said header tubes in which the iluid ilows upwardly leading from the compartments in the lower header to compartments in the upper header; the riser tubes including at least portions extending angularly to a vertical plane 6. A hot fluid boiler including; a front-to-rear extending housing; means for furnishing hot gases to the interior thereof; generally longitudinally disposed, vertically spaced, elongated upper and lower header tube means therein; an inlet for supplying heat transmitting iluid near one end of one of said header tube means and an outlet for egressing iluid near the opposite end of one of said header tube means; baille members spaced apart in a lengthwise `direction from front to rear in said upper and lower header tube means and forming a series of opposite end-'to-end compartments in said upper and lower header tube means; means for communicating said upper and lower header tube means so that fluid, once having left each compartment in a header tube means in a path to a vertically spaced header tube means, never returns to the same compartment but proceeds to a compartment rearwardly adjacent thereto; said means for communicating said upper and lower header tube means comprising downcomer tubes of lesser diameter than said header tube means in which the water flows downwardly leading from compartments in the upper header tube means to compartments in the lower header tube means; said means for communicating said upper and lower header tube means also comprising riser tubes of lesser diameter than said header tube means in which the iluid iiows upwardly leading from compartments in the lower header tube means to compartments in the upper header tube means; and side Wall means separating the convection tubes and riser tubes; certain of the lesser diameter tubes extending in vertical planes, -and other of the lesser diameter tubes including portions extending angularly to a vertical plane.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said upper and lower header tube means comprises a pair of upper header tubes and a pair of lower header tubes, and ow is from one of said upper header tubes to one of said lower header tubes, thence from said one of said lower header tubes to the other upper header tube, thence from the said other upper header tube to the other lower header tube, and thence from the said other lower header tube to the said one of said upper header tubes.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 581,518 Roney et al Apr. 27, 1897 1,814,423 Albert July 14, 1931 FORETGN PATENTS 180,158 Germany Jan. 23, 1907 764,850 France Mar. 12, 1934 

